The days are getting darker, colder and we tend to lose motivation when all we want to do is cuddle inside. Exercise during the winter months is arguably more beneficial than in other seasons because it gives our “winter bodies” what they’re lacking.

1. Fight the Blues

Fighting the blues also means fighting the urge to curl up on the couch. One word: Endorphins! Workouts release endorphins that create feelings of positivity which, in turn, can help ease the feelings of depression some of us experience in the wintertime.

2. Avoid Winter Weight

Holiday eating (YUM!) is infamous for getting us off track. Don’t skip the pie, workout instead ~ our leggings have got you covered at Thanksgiving dinner and at the gym.

3. Warm Up!

Heat your body without turning up the thermostat ~ the extra body heat generated from your workout helps ease stiffness and aches. I love the feeling of being in a hot yoga room and my favorite is Corepower. I love their hot yoga Sculpt classes, although it’s more bootcamp than yoga, but they do say Namaste at the end…after yelling at you for an hour, LOL.

4. Treat Yourself

Vegging out feels so much better when you’ve earned it! Enjoy some self pampering with a steamy shower (try this in-shower mask ~ so reasonable and I love all the products in this line!) and a hot tea or Bailey’s and decaf ;-) and then enjoy curling up on the couch with this cozy wrap.

With kiddos hitting the streets in superhero costumes tonight, why not dawn your own cape this Halloween? Our fall photo shoot with Melissa Louise Photography features the new camo Rah Rah Reversible Cape (with pockets!) so you can stay warm while handing out candy.

And just in case you’re already getting sick of pumpkin-flavored-everything, here’s a gluten-free twist on a fall treat I made this week. Not exactly what I had planned, but when your husband comes home with a big bag of pears (nature’s candy), it’s time to improvise…and it turned out delicous! It’s subtle and not too sweet.

Did you know the Rule of Threes doesn't just apply to bad luck or superstition?I didn't either, but last week proved it to me.

If you didn't already know, let me tell you our kids are these 2 amazing, original, creative souls. And this week I thought my heart would burst out of my chest with Parental Pride Syndrome.

First, we got to see Tess' band perform at the Kitty Cat Klub for the first time since last fall. We had been keeping up with some of her new music online, but hadn't heard them live for a long time. I thought they were pretty good before, but man, they keep getting better, and I'm not the only one who thinks so. To fill a club at 10:30 on a Wednesday night...and to receive this type of review...Wow.

"Fact: Murder Shoes are impossible to pigeonhole. The local band are so much their own thing that to attempt to describe them in relation to other stuff is almost impossible... And then lead singer Tess Weinberg — damn, she’s great. She coos, she cajoles, she yelps like the best 50s torch singer you’ve never heard but with the indie soul of, say, a Kristen Hersh backing her up (with all the quirks and passion that implies)...And I’ll be damned if “Maybe You Can” isn’t that song you would have heard, and possibly the best local single of the year so far? It’s close if it’s not — the call/response thing at the end absolutely tips it over the edge for me. Remarkable, remarkable stuff " -- Jon Hunt, L'etoile Magazine

Tess Wenberg, Murder Shoes

Murder Shoes cover art by Derick Van Giesen

They just got signed by a digital record label and the LP Release Party is coming up on May 3rd. You can listen to some of their music Here...My favorite is 'Maybe You Can'.

A few days later Sam had the honor of being one of the solo artists at the grand opening at Soo Visual Art Center's (SooVAC) new gallery location. He prepared for months, creating a cohesive and compelling show of paintings and objects.

The evening itself was a bit surreal (no pun intended) due to the sheer mass of people and the accolades...it seemed far beyond what one could ever dare to hope for. The entire show nearly sold out in that one evening.

Opening night at SooVAC.

Stacking at Sunset or Perhaps a Trade?

And you know awesome kids have to come from somewhere...Dik-San and I finished this memorable week by celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary. 25 years of adventures with the love of my life...it doesn't get much better than that!